ACM SIGHPC Computational & Data Science Fellowships Grant

The ACM SIGHPC Computational & Data Science Fellowships aim to enhance diversity in graduate programs by supporting women and underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in computational and data sciences. Recipients receive a stipend of $15,000 annually, adjustable by country, for up to four years for PhD candidates and two years for MS candidates. The program encourages interdisciplinary perspectives, fostering a dynamic environment for innovation and research in high-performance computing.

Award Information
ACM SIGHPC has created the Computational and Data Science Fellowships, a continuation of the program started with Intel to increase the diversity of students pursuing graduate degrees in data science and computational science. Specifically targeted at women or students from racial/ethnic backgrounds that have not traditionally participated in the computing field, the program is open to students pursuing degrees at institutions anywhere in the world.
For the purposes of these fellowships, “computational science” encompasses any program of study where computational modeling and simulation serve as the primary methods for conducting research, typically in a field other than computer science (e.g., computational chemistry, wildfire modeling, computational hydrodynamics). Similarly, “data science” relies on computational analysis of large-scale data as the basis for research (e.g., ecological informatics, financial analytics).
Funding
Each fellowship recipient will receive a stipend prior to the start of their first academic term after August 1. The value of the stipend will be US$20,000 annually, adjusted depending on the country where the degree will be earned (using the most recent national price level ratio published by the World Bank). This stipend is intended to augment, not replace, the support already being provided by the institution. PhD recipients will receive the stipend annually for up to 4 years and MS recipients up to 2 years, as long as they are deemed to be making appropriate progress in the degree program (progress will be evaluated annually by ACM SIGHPC based on a brief report from each recipient). If additional funding becomes available, fellowship winners may be given the opportunity to receive extended support (through the completion of the degree, but not more than four years total).
For individuals with a permanent residence outside of the United States that receive a monetary award from SIGHPC, ACM will withhold 30% of the award value for US Taxes in compliance with Internal Revenue Services. Based on the individual's location they may be able to reclaim the tax withholding amount. ACM and SIGHPC will not provide assistance in reclaiming the withheld taxes.
New fellowship recipients will be recognized formally at the annual SC conference’s Awards Session. SIGHPC and SC will provide travel support for this (including airfare, hotel, conference registration, and an expense stipend).
Questions? See how to nominate and the FAQs for more information.

Eligibility

To be considered for an ACM SIGHPC Computational & Data Science Fellowship, a nomination must meet the following requirements:The candidate must be:Currently enrolled in a graduate program, or accepted to begin one, no later than October 15 of the year in which they are nominatedPursuing a graduate degree – Master’s, PhD, or equivalent – in computational or data science (although the formal name of the program may be somewhat different)Less than halfway through her/his planned program of study (with preference given to students who are still early in their studies)A woman and/or a member of a racial/ethnic group that is currently underrepresented in the computing field in the country where the student will earn the degreeThe nominator must be the candidate’s current graduate research advisor (or if the student is not yet enrolled, must have agreed to take on advising responsibility when the student arrives)The nominator must coordinate with the head of the academic department to ensure only one current/future student from that department is being nominatedThe candidate must provide up-to-date contact information for an endorser who is a current or former instructor, project supervisor, or employer who has personal knowledge of the student’s past accomplishmentsThe nominator, candidate, and endorser must each submit their required materials (in sequence) using SIGHPC’s online nomination system, prior to the deadlineThe nominator must be the student's research advisor, while the endorser must be someone else who knows the student's work well.Candidates may come from any country.Are male students eligible for the fellowships?A male would need to be a member of an identifiable racial/ethnic group that the country and/or university defines as underrepresented. Examples might be members of an economically disadvantaged tribal group (e.g., First Nations in Canada) or a racial/ethnic group that typically does not pursue university education (e.g., Lapp groups in Scandinavia) or rarely enters the computing profession (e.g., African-Americans in the US). Note that the group must be considered underrepresented - by the government or some recognized agency - in computing in the country of study. University administrators track that kind of information and can answer questions about the criteria in your country.We welcome applications from students who are coming to data/computational science from non-traditional backgrounds (forestry, agricultural or life sciences, liberal arts, etc.).The intent is for Fellowship winners to interact in a long-term, meaningful way with faculty and other grad students, so the degree work must include at least a year of in-person, directed research, and must result in a dissertation or thesis. Online programs are eligible provided that at least a year of research under a research advisor at the institution is completed. There are no membership requirements - neither ACM nor SIGHPC - for anyone.Applications for the fellowships involve three independent components and must be submitted using SIGHPC’s online nomination system:

• Nomination: submitted by the student’s advisor (or soon-to-be advisor), who will explain how the candidate qualifies for a fellowship
• CV and candidate statement: submitted by the student, along with contact information for an endorser

Brief endorsement: submitted by a current or former instructor, project supervisor, or employer who has personal knowledge of the student’s past accomplishments and can speak to the candidate’s suitabilityAll components must be submitted in sequence, and completed by the submission deadline. See how to nominate for details.Fellowship recipients will be evaluated based on their overall potential for excellence in data science and/or computational science, their likelihood of successfully completing a graduate degree, and the extent to which they will serve to increase diversity in the workplace.

Ineligibility

In accordance with ACM policies on conflict-of-interest, the following are ineligible to serve as nominators or endorsers: Officers of ACM and members of the Fellowship Selection Committee.